Radical Mastectomy....Scared! Any advise

betlen5 · 02-29-2008, 12:08 PM

Here is the latest news: I went to Birmingham, AL last week. Meet with about 12 Chief Dr's. (I was the only Indian) My last PET/CAT SCAN on 2/1/08 shows that the chemotherapy medication seems to be keeping the cancer under control which returned last September. I go back to Birmingham on 3/3/08 for an MRI. I have been fighting breast cancer for 7 years and it has been fighting back 7 times. So, I will be undergoing a Radical Mastectomy at the end of this month or first week in April. They will be removing the right breast down to the rib cage, under my arm to the shoulder blade and will also remove part of the pectoral muscle. I will remain in the hospital in Birmingham for no less than 5 days and will have another MRI before I return home to recover. I will need to have more chemo again, after my recovery, for a while. Until now, the cancer has been inoperable due to the largest tumor lying next to the main artery and on top of the nerve bed under my right arm. Dr.'s are very confident that this surgery will STOP the cancer from returning. Dr.'s also feel that after dissections of everything, they hope to find out "WHY", the cancer never spread to any other organs and perhaps be able to help other Breast Cancer Patient's. I have come to far and endured to much to let the candle burn out now. So, any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers through the years.

Betty Lennox & Family

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."
ISAIAH 43:1

PinkGirl · 03-04-2008, 06:33 AM

Hi Bet
Mine was a modified radical - I'm bumping this up
and hoping someone out there can relate.
Good luck with all of this.

betlen5 · 03-04-2008, 08:31 AM

Pink Girl, what is a modified radical? Thanks for replying. CONGRADS on 2 years...

Betty

chrisy · 03-04-2008, 09:11 AM

I don't know Betty, seems that anyone who can command the attention of 12 Chiefs must be a super chief or emperor or something!

It sounds like when you had the double mastectomy, that was what PinkGirl (and I) had - they do not remove any muscle tissue or, well, any of the stuff they apparently are going back for in your case. They don't do radical masts much any more because it is quite a major surgery - and in most cases not necessary. As you have continued to have local recurrences, maybe they are recommending this as a super aggressive step to get it for good.

I think you are definitely not about to give up the fight - so that dumb cancer will have to be the one surrendering.

PinkGirl · 03-04-2008, 09:30 AM

Hi Bet
I understand a modified radical mastectomy
the same way Chris described it - mine was
close to the chest wall but no muscle was
removed. It was determined by how close
the tumour was to my chest wall. It was far
enough away that I was able to have the modified
radical. Hope this helps explain things.

Cannon · 03-04-2008, 10:08 AM

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatmen...mastectomy.jsp

This describes "simple" "modified radical" and "radical" - radical seems to also remove supraclavicular lymph nodes and internal mammary lymph nodes in addition to the breast and first three levels of nodes.

Breast surgery is much less painful (physically) than one would think - because the breasts themselves are mostly fatty tissue, and they don't have to cut through muscle to get to them. It was much less painful for me than abdominal or thyroid surgery.

Wishing you well.

Rebecca